homefront 24-39_Homefront 2 6/29/21 2:25 PM Page 40
fresh tracks
new music talk with Wendy Rose
Waves
Kelly McMichael “GIMME THE REINS AND LET’S RIDE OUT THE STORM”
– this line from my interview with Kelly McMichael stands out, and not just because the cover of Waves features the musician rockin’ her best cowboy outfit on a horse. The year 2020 was hellish for musicians worldwide, but McMichael persevered and came out of interprovincial lockdown with a beautiful album that bridges decades of pop, rock, electronic and alternative music. Think maybe Annie Lennox of the Eurythmics, if she had been writing with riot grrrls Kathleen Hannah and PJ Harvey, while more current bands like Snail Mail and Waxahatchee took notes. Waves opens with “I Missed Out on Everything,” which feels like an extremely apt opener, given this past year. “Memories hit me, they’re flooding in, taking over, I’ve lost my mind,” McMichael sings in the opening lines. Written prepandemic, this song is a eulogy for 40
August 2021
time spent and time lost. With its catchy keyboard melodies, “Out the Window” feels like a lost ’80s pop song. This track lifts its listener up, inspiring them to “leave that weight behind” and get out there and have some fun, maybe get a little wild. We slow down a little on “Stepping Stone,” exploring some of the darker sides of working in the music industry, such as the effects of a working relationship on personal relationships. “Friends, they come and go, and I hear your song on the radio. Was I just a stepping stone for you?” McMichael asks. This line illustrates the delicate balance of artistic collaboration and exploiting someone’s talent for personal gain, and how to navigate personal/ business partnerships. 1-888-588-6353
